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Revision, Editing, and Proofreading

  • Once you have a draft of your paper completed, you should take the time to look at it again.  Revision is literally re-seeing your paper. 
 First, look at the big picture:
            How is the paper organized?  Does that organization scheme make sense?
            Are paragraphs in a logical order?  Do they use clear transitions?
            Does each paragraph focus on only one idea and fully develop that idea?
            Is the thesis/main point of the paper obvious?
            Does the introduction grab the reader’s attention and guide him/her to the thesis?
            Does the conclusion wrap up the paper and fully support the claim?

 

Of course, your writing is going to make sense to you.  However, would a reader be able to understand your paper easily?  Remember, the reader shouldn’t have to work too hard to see your point. 
  • Editing is the next step in the process.  At this point, you look at the details of the paper to make sure that you catch any mistakes.  Spell check is NOT enough! 
            Are all of your sentences complete, or are there fragments?
            Did you stay in a consistent verb tense throughout the paper?
            Is your grammar correct in your sentences?
            Did you use active verbs versus passive verbs?
            Is your vocabulary appropriate for college level writing?
            Is your spelling correct?
            Did you use punctuation correctly?
            Are your sentences varied and interesting?
            Is your word choice specific and concise?  Did you avoid wordiness?
            If your instructor requested a specific format, did you follow it exactly as wanted? 
            If doing research, are your citations and references listed in the correct format?
  • Finally, when you proofread, you perform a “final sweep” of the paper to make sure that you’re turning in your best work in its most polished form.

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